(The 11th Grade Edition)

The Motivated Students

GUIDE
TO COLLEGE PLANNING

You have already shown us that you have a rare and commendable sense of
motivation something that will push you in the direction of success throughout
your entire life. So the question we would like to help you answer is How can I
use my drive and enthusiasm to my advantage during my junior year?
The 11th grade gives you some fantastic opportunities to distinguish yourself
from the rest of the students in your high school. Take a few moments to
read the following five tips on how to get ahead of the college admissions
curve, so that you can apply to your top-choice schools next year with
the same confidence that we see in you now!

Lets get
et started ...

tip 1
Summon Your Shortlist
You are learning so much about your college options where
the schools are located, what kinds of majors they offer, how
much they cost and now is the time to harness the power
of all that information. Pull together a list of the schools that
look truly promising. Focusing on the most attractive options
will make meeting admission requirements and remembering
deadlines much easier. By creating a shortlist, you and your
family will have a better idea of where to visit when you hit
the road for campus tours.

We certainly hope that Rensselaer makes it on

your shortlist of colleges. If you are looking for
a school where students receive cutting-edge
training, perform meaningful research, and have
fun while they are learning, that is exactly what
you will find at our campus in Troy, NY. We have
been at it a long time, too RPI was the first
technological university established in America.
That reputation for excellence is one reason
employers like IBM, Lockheed Martin, GE, and
Boeing consistently look to RPI when theyre
filling important positions.

The Motivated Students

GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING

tip 2
Get a Feel for the FAFSA
Maybe you have known about the FAFSA for years. Or maybe you
are reading this paragraph while asking yourself, What is a FAFSA?
Either way, you and your family would benefit a great deal from
getting to know this essential form.
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it
is instrumental in making sure you get all the financial aid you are
entitled to receive. You cannot file the form until January, but you
can create your PIN (which will save you time in the future) and
get a sneak peek at the form to get an idea of what information is
required. Simply go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to have a look.

The first words you will find on the Financial Aid

section of our website are We are here to help!
That really sums up how we feel about making
college affordable for our students. RPI has a
diverse offering of scholarships, grants, loans, and
work programs, all with the goal of letting students
focus on the most important aspect of the college
experience: getting a great education. And to make
things easier, most merit-based awards do not
even require a separate application, because we
believe good work in high school speaks for itself.

The Motivated Students

GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING

tip 3
Strategize for the Summer
Forethought is your friend when it comes to boosting your
college rsum. It may seem early, but start thinking now about
how you would like to spend the summer before your senior
year. This may mean applying for an internship in the field that
interests you most, or seeking out a summer job that will give
you valuable real-world experience. Whether you are helping
conduct biotechnology research in a nearby lab or supervising
a group of camp counselors, colleges will be impressed by
the skills you learn, not to mention the initiative you showed by
making the most of your time away from school.

Our students are famous for finding new and

exciting ways to make the most of their time
outside the classroom. Want to learn how to
tango? Our Ballroom Dance Club can help.
Interested in the final frontier? Talk to the
Rensselaer Astrophysical Society, which holds
public observing hours every Friday night in the
Hirsch Observatory. Is music more your thing?
You wont be disappointed. From Jazz Ensemble
to Concert Choir, youll find no shortage of
chords and solos here. And these are just a
few of our 200-plus student organizations!

The Motivated Students

GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING

tip 4
Share with Your Parents
You and your parents may have differing ideas of what your
college experience should look like (close to home vs. far away,
big vs. small), but it is important to think of you and your parents
as one team. After all, this is a big life decision, and they want
you to land somewhere that will make you happy and successful
down the road. Spend some time chatting with them about what
you are looking for in the ideal school. Getting on the same page
now will reap huge benefits later.

We want to help make college conversation

with your parents as productive as possible. For
example, if your parents ask about our academic
offerings, you can tell them we offer 37 majors
in fields like architecture, business, engineering,
science, humanities, arts, and social sciences.
If your parents want to know about our faculty,
let them know we have more than 450 faculty
members who are dedicated to your success,
providing personal attention and ties to top global
corporations and organizations. If they ask why
your room is not clean, well that ones on you.

The Motivated Students

GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING

tip 5
Get a Close-up of Campus
Ice cream shops let you taste different flavors ... department
stores let you try clothing on to see if it fits ... colleges are
exactly the same way. Most schools are more than happy to
show you around campus and give you an idea of what everyday
student life is like, so dont be afraid to take advantage! To make
the most of the experience, be sure to plan your trip ahead of
time. There may be aspects of the campus visit that are not
available on weekends, and you will want to get a comprehensive
glimpse of each school. No glimpse would be complete without a
sample of their ice cream, so be sure to do that, too.

We could not think of anything better than having

you and your family on campus for a visit! Stop by
on a Special Visiting Day to enjoy a campus tour
and Q & A session with current students, all of
whom are eager to share their personal experience
at RPI with you. If you come during the week, you
can even explore the facilities of the academic
department that interests you most. To start
planning your visit, simply click here and fill out
the Campus Visit Registration form on the left
side of the page.

The Motivated Students

GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

110 8th Street
Troy, NY 12180-3590
admissions.rpi.edu

We wish you all the best for a fun and productive

junior year, and we hope to see you here at
Rensselaer for a visit soon!